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(No Model) H. W. FALK. METHOD OF REPAIRING RAILWAY TRAGK RAILS. No. 593,953. Patented Nov. 16, 1897.

HERMAN W. FALK, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE FALK' NITED STATES Prion.

PATENT MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

METHOD OF REPAIRING RAILWAY-TRACK RAILS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 593,953, dated November 16, 1897.

Application filed February 4, 1897, Serial No, 621,974. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HERMAN W. FALK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Methods of Repairing Railway-Track Rails, (Case No. 1,) of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improved method of repairing railway-track rails, the object thereof being to remove defective or worn portions from the rails and avoid all unevenness at the joints between the individual rails, which by my improved method are preferably formed in continuous lengths.

The improved method herein described ismore particularly adapted for utilizing old and somewhat worn railway-tracks, whereby it becomes unnecessary in renewing the same to tear up, repair, and relay the rails thereof.

I jected to severe and unusual wear by reason of the pounding effect of the car-wheels at the joints. Continued use of thetrack de Velops a depression or depressions near the ends of a portion of the rails, as indicated in Fig. 1, a wearing effect which constantly and rapidly increases during the further use of said track. This is productive not only of unnecessary wear of the rolling-stock, but materially contributes to the roughness of the track. It has previously been thought necessary to tear up these rails, saw ofi the de fective ends, and relay the track after preparing the shortened rails, so that they may again be joined by means of bolts and fishplates. This entails considerable expense and inconvenience during the removal of the track, which becomes unnecessary when the method described in the present application is followed. This method consists in bending the defective portions of the rails above the level of the track, preparing the ends of of metal which securely retains them in their relative positions, forming the rails in a continuous length, and afterward removing the defective portions from the rails, the heads rail ends raised above the level of the track and a body of metal cast within the mold upon the joint, a tool being shown in position for removing the upwardly-projecting portions of said rails. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a completed joint.

The same letter of reference is used to designate like parts in each of the several figures.

In Fig. 1 the rails or, a are shown united by means of fish-plates and bolts in the usual manner, and, as is frequently the case after the rails have been in use for some time, the ends thereof havebecome flattened out or worn, causing a marked depression at the joint. Furthermore, a short distance from the end of raila the head thereof has become worn at 00 by the pounding effect of the car-wheels at the joint, whereby the track is rendered defective and the cars are subjected to more or less vibration in passing over the same.

In United States Letters Patent No. 545, 040, granted to Albert Hoffmann andmyself August 20, 1895, is specifically set forth the method of forming rails into continuous lengths,which I preferably employ previous to removing the worn portions thereof in repairing railway-track. The above method may be briefly described as consisting in cleaning the ends of the rails to be united, adjusting thereon a mold in which a union or bond is said rails, uniting them by means of a mass adapted to be fused upon said rail ends, heating the rails, and casting thereon a body of metal which forms the rails into continuous lengths. The fish-plates and bolts having previously been removed from the rail ends, a suitable device is applied thereto to raise the worn parts above the level of the track. I have illustrated in Fig. 2 means for accomplishin g this, which consists of a curved yokepiece 0, the jaws d of which are adapted to bear upon the heads of the rails some distance from the ends. The yoke-piece is centrally bored and threaded to receive a screw 0 of slight pitch, the head of said screw being provided with a handle or handles f of suitable length by means of which the screw may be rotated. Depending from the lower end of the screw is the jaw g, adapted to be passed beneath the rail ends, which, upon rotation of the screw, will serve to raise or bend the rails slightly at their ends, as shown in Fig. 2. The rail ends are bent in this manner sufficiently to raise the worn portions thereof above the level of the track. Should it be found desirable, the individual rails may be operated upon singly and the said rail ends may also be heated previous to bending the same.

Obviously other devices than the one herein set forth may be employed for the purpose of bending the rail endsas, for example, one operated by means of hydraulic pressure would afford more efficient means for repairing rails of large cross-section than the device shown in Fig. 2, which merely exemplifies one form of mechanism for accomplish ing the purpose named.

lVhen the rail ends have been raised, as described, a shim or wedge h is inserted between them to fill the space separating the said ends, the shim preferably corresponding in shape to the cross-section of the rails. The sectional mold 't' is then secured upon the joint to inclose the lower portions of the rail ends, and the said ends are heated, as set forth in the patent above referred to. Molten metal is poured into the mold, which, upon cooling, forms the body of metal 7c, inclosing the rail ends, the same preferably being fused to the lower portions thereof, making the rail practicallycontinuous and rigidly uniting theindividual rails at the joint. The track in this condition manifestly is unfitted for use, since all irregularities previously existing therein at the junction of the rails are greatly increased, while the joints are now rendered firm and unyielding.

In Fig. 3 is shown the cutting-tool Z of a portable planer in position for removing the upwardly-projecting and defective portions from the rail ends. This is accomplished in the usual manner, the tool engaging the heads of said rails and successively cutting therefrom, as well asfrom the shim, if necessary, all portions of metal extending above the level of the track. hen this operation has been completed, the jointwill present the appearance of Fig. 4, forming a perfectly even and continuous head, whereon the carwheels bear.

It is obvious that other means may be employed than that herein shown for cutting away the rails, since the requirements are met by any portable device adapted to remove the superfluous metal from the completed joint, and such device for accomplishing the same forms no part of this invention.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The herein-described method of repairing railway-track rails,which consists in preparing the abutting rails for casting thereon a body of metal, raising and maintaining the defective portions of said rails above the level of the track, casting upon said rails a body of metal, removing the raised and defective portions of the rails and dressing the heads thereof into alinement with the level of the track.

2. The method of repairing defective rails, which consists in preparing the ends-thereof for casting thereon a bond or union, raising or bending the defective portions of the rails above the level of the track, heating the parts, casting thereon a body of metal adapted to maintain the same securely in their relative positions, and cutting away the defective portions of said rails sufficiently to provide an even and practically continuous head, whereon the car-wheels are adapted to travel, substantially as described.

3. The herein-described method of repairing defective joints of railway-track, which consists in preparing the ends of the rails, bending the defective end portions above the level of the track, inserting a wedge or shim between abutting rails, heating the parts, casting a body of metal upon the lower portions of the rail ends adapted to maintain the same firmly in their relative positions, and cutting away from the upper surface of the joint thus formed the defective portions of the rail out of alinement with the corresponding portions of the track.

4. The method of repairing railway-track rails, which consists in preparing the ends of the rails for uniting the same, bending the defective portions thereof above the level of the track, heating the ends of the rails, fusing thereon a body of metal adapted to retain the same securely in their relative positions, and removing the upwardly-projecting and defective portions from the rails, and thereby providing an even and continuous head whereon the car-wheels are adapted to travel, substantially as described.

5. The herein-described method of repairing railway-track rails which consists in preparing the ends of said rails for casting thereon a metallic bond or union, bending the defective end portions above the level of the track, filling the intervening space between the rail ends with a shim or wedge, In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my heating the parts, casting upon the lower porname this 29th day of January, A. D. 1897. tions of said rail ends a body of metal adapted securely to hold the same in their relative HERMAN FALK' 5 positions, and cutting away from the head of Witnesses:

the rail-joint the portions extending above CLEMENT L. SMITH,

the level of the track. W. B. KNOWLES. 

